Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-12-16
DEFEATING DEATH.

SILL anu GUILE DUCK DIS SOOu do Ou
''Good by, Nellie, dear, and don't forget
me while 1 am away"
Their hands warmly pressed each other as
their lips would have done had not others
been near. Then they separated. Nellie
Browning watched the tall, strong form OF
John King until it was lost in the high grass
of the prairie and with sigh returned to
duty
Never before had the little isolated way
station seemed so dull, the click of the tele-
graph instrument so monotonous. There was
literally nothing for her to do after the Gus
tomary putting to rights" No train would
pass for hours, messages seldom troubled her,
she had exhausted her little stock of reading.
What could she do to make the hours pass
less wearilys
She rested her head upon the keyboard and
gave herself to pleasant waking dreams, to
mentally following her lover and murmuring
aloud of the pictures thought photographed
in her heart.
SIT will take John all day to inspect the
line to the little wooded island in the middle
alone in the log cabin I wonder if he will
think of me all the time, as l will of him!
How I wish could be with himl"
She blushed crimson as the Indian pinks
that splashed the prairie as with blood at the
unmaidenly thought, and endeavored to fix
her attention upon other things. But do
what she would her thoughts wandered to
her lover, the lack of comfort he would ex-
perience, and the happy day when she would
have the right to be ever by his side.
As if the hours had become leaden footed
they crept along. At noon she istlessly ate
the lunch she had brought from her farm
home; then wished night would hurry along
that she might be with her lover, at least in
dreams.
Darkness did come after long and weary
waiting; her hours of duty had ended and
she was preparing to leave when the station
was called and she was told in clicking wits
pers that on account of an extra that was
wildcatting she would have to remain until
midnight.
With the reverse Of pleasant expression
upon her face and an almost defiant tossing
back of her auburn curls she sat down again
The workmen about the station went home
and left her alone; the frogs croaked mourn
fully from neighboring slough and the
wires made weird music as the brisk night
wind played upon them. But the experience
was not new to her; there was nothing tC
fear and her father would come for her when
the night was done.
Eight, 9, 10 passed and the silence was be
coming painful. Something must be done
She failed to remember being so much OPP
pressed by the lack of society and wondered
how Robinson Crusoe could have existed be
fore his man Friday. Then she thought OF
a female friend who was operator at the next
westward station, and, nearly dying fol
some one to talk to, summoned "Sterling"
There was no reply. Try as she would di-
rectly she could get none, but utilizing a cir.
cult she was answered, and asked
"What is the matter with the main lne?'
"Matter enough" was answered, and her
trained ear instantly told her the touch was
not of a delicately fingered girl, but heavy
handed man. ''The prairie is all on fire lie
| tween here and Buffalo Heart Grove; that
| is beginning to burn, and when the flames
sweep round on your side you'll have to look
sharp if they don't catch you mapping, lny
| pretty daisy"
At another time she would have closed the
key with an angry snap at the impudent
familiarity. Now there was room in hel
brain for only one maddening thought
John King was sleeping in the cabin in tie
| grove, would be surrounded by fire, be
stified by smoke, be burnsd to death!
"Prairie round Buffalo Heart Grove sea
of flame, line down, bridges over culverts
| probably burned. Stop all trains at k she
managed to flash back over the wire
| Then she dashed out where all should have
| been darkness but was not. For miles earth
and sky were illuminated, the roaring of the
| flames could be distinctly heard, their furi
| GUS leaping distinctly traced, their speed
| swifter than the greyhound and their force
| resistless as a cyclone Nothing to her now
was duty, nothing that it wanted two hour.
| of midnight, nothing that many lives might
hang upon her remaining at her post. One life
she knew was in danger, and that was to hel
| more than all others in the world.
With flying feet, with desperate resolve
forming in her brain, she fastened home
ward, but did not enter the house-dared no
for fear of the thwarting Of her purpose. Al
she passed the window she saw her old father
| nodding in his chair, and satisfied smil,
| parted her lips. For all the hidden wealth o.
| mountain and canyon she would not have
| him waken.
! Well she knew the swiftest and most untir
ing horse in the stable That it was one she
had never ridden, young, fiery, valuable
blue blooded stallion, she never gave {
thought. Speed and courage were the thing!
now to be desired, and all other considerations
even her own safety, were dwarfed into moth
ingness by them.
With soothing voice and gentle hands the
girl led the horse out, bridled, saddled anC
mounted Astonished by her daring hi
quietly submitted The charm of woman
hood had easily accomplished what had evel
been a difficult task for men. Then, startled
by the unusual burden and tapping of skirt
| about his flank, he reared, plunged, paved
| the air, kicking vigorously and made DIES
! perate effort to unseat the rider. 1t was I'm
successful The hands that held the reins
little as they were, had a grip of iron anC
the whip left welt upon the glossy skin
Madly shaking his head, dashing out with hi
heels, with the breath whistling through tn,
| thin nostrils, he made a second attempt
shivered as be received still more stingins
blow, then dashed furiously down the road.
The clatter of hoofs disturbed the dreams
of the old farmer. He sprang to the window
but only to catch an indistinct vision O.
something, glanced at the clock, murmuret
contentedly of having an hour before coins
for Nellie, and settled himself for another
nap
Little idea had he that his only child ant
fostly steed were indulging in the widest O
races under a sky lighted as by the flames O.
hell and surrounded by its fires.
The switchman saw the girl as she flew
past; saw the swift galloping horse, the ride
with her long hair streaming in the wind
the horse as if breathing smoke: saw withou
recognition, and superstitiously imagined
that the ghost of some red child of the wilder
ness, whose bones had been disturbed in build
ing the iron track of the pale face, was ou
for midnight revel
| For considerable distance the road wa.
over the undulating prairie, and both horse
and rider enjoyed the race; then they were
forced upon the ties, and the heavily shoe